Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Resistance
by AuraFighter23
Summary: Inspired by ScytheRider's Silver Resistance. In a land, ruled by an evil emperor, a former human and his friends must stand together and bring piece to the world by discovering the secrets of the silver soul.
1. Chapter 1

**Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Resistance**

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

Across rugged mountains, sparkling seas, and dense forests there exists a land by the name of Lyore. This land is inhabited to by wondrous creatures with amazing powers called Pokemon. These creatures lived together in harmony under the rule of the legends. The legends are Pokemon that are viewed as gods among the other Pokemon. The legends would answer the prayers of the Pokemon and make sure that war would not break out. Under the watchful eyes of the legends, the Pokemon built civilizations and lived together in piece and harmony. But that all changed when the legends disappeared. The whole land of Lyore fell into complete and utter chaos. Without the legends, wars were waged, cities crumbled, and many Pokemon died. But finally, after many years of bloody war, an emperor was appointed to lead the land of Lyore. He was a noble emperor, who ruled with authority and benevolence. Under his rule, the land of Lyore prospered and the legends became nothing more than a myth. Then tragedy struck when the benevolent emperor died. All of Lyore was devastated and they mourned the loss of their ruler. Things only got worse when a new emperor was chosen. This emperor was the complete opposite of the previous emperor. He ruled by fear and intimidation. He enslaved other Pokemon and increased taxes, putting many Pokemon in debt. Though no one could prove it, he also made anyone who opposed him "disappear". Because of these things, those who disliked the emperor referred him the Dark Emperor. Things became so bad that the few Pokemon that still believed in the legends prayed and prayed, begging for help. When all seemed lost, a legend appeared and delivered a prophecy that spoke of a being that had the power to defeat the Dark Emperor. With the prophecy given, the legend disappeared. The ones that had witnessed the legend went around and told their story to all that would listen, though not everyone believed what they said. Eventually word made its way to the Dark Emperor and, fearing that he would be overthrown, sent his minions out to find the one spoken about in the prophecy to either recruit or kill them. With something to believe in, the Pokemon began to rebel against the Dark Emperor. They formed resistance cells to combat the Dark Emperors oppression and to help those in need. The years that followed were filled many tragedies and victories on both sides as they searched for the "Pokemon of Prophecy", the one that had the power to end the Dark Emperor's reign of terror. The power... of the silver soul.

Where...Where am I?

**Hello? Can you hear me?**

Y-yes.

**Good. I was worried that I had a bad connection. **

Who are you exactly?

**That's not important right now. Anyway, in a few moments I will send you into a world inhabited by creatures called Pokemon.**

...Pokemon?

**Yes. Pokemon. Pokemon are creatures that possess amazing powers such as the ability to breathe fire, fly, control electricity, and many other things. When I send you to that world, you will be transformed into a Pokemon.**

Really? Cool!

**Yes, yes. Anyway, before I send you there I have to ask you several questions to determine what Pokemon you will be transformed into. Please answer them truthfully. Are you ready?**

I guess so...

**Okay then... Have you ever done things that you wish you hadn't?**

Yes.

**Do you wish that you could go back in time to change your choices?**

…Well I do at first, but later I don't because those choices I made helped define me.

**Next question...What would you do if you witness someone being bullied?**

It depends on the situation. If it were someone I didn't know I would tell the bully to back off. If it were one of my friends, I would be a lot more... forceful with dealing with the bully. But if the bully was physically hurting someone, I would defend them, no matter who it is.

**When you have failed an important task, how do you feel?**

I feel angry and sometimes sad, but I mostly feel disappointed in myself.

**Do you have trouble motivating yourself?**

...Yes.

**Why is that?**

I don't know honestly. It's not that I'm lazy or anything, I just have trouble "getting in the mood". Though when I start something, I _have_ to finish it

**You are given a task that seems impossible, many have tried to do this task and have lost their lives. If the task is not completed, several people, that you do not know could die. Will you accept the task.**

I would accept the task.

**Even if you could die?**

Yes because, even if there is a small chance, I refuse to let others die because of my actions.

**Do you believe that fate is set in stone?**

No. In my opinion, no one can tell you how to live your life, even fate.

**Would you classify yourself as shy?**

...Yes.

**Okay, final question... Two of your friends, who have been with you for all of your life and you view as siblings, are captured and about to be killed. You are given a choice of which one to save. Which one do you choose?**

… I can't answer that.

**You must answer the question. Who do you choose.**

No. You can't ask me to choose between friends. I would rather die that be forced to choose one or the other.

**I see... That is an interesting answer. Anyway, next I must gaze into your soul.**

What?!

**Don't be alarmed. I just need to see your soul to make my final decision.**

...Okay.

**Good, now relax. Let your mind drift away...**

…

…

**Just as I thought. Your soul is... silver.**

Silver?

**Yes. The kind of silver that shines brighter that the sun and the moon. The kind of silver that remains bright no matter how hard you try to tarnish it.**

**Now, looking back at your answers, I have determined what kind of person you are. From the information I have gathered... You are a reserved type.**

Reserved?

**Yes. From what I gather, you act tough, but deep down, you fear rejection. You act as if what people say to you means nothing, but deep down, those words cut deeper than any sword. **

**You have built wall around you and only let few in those wall, and those that you allow in you walls you fear that they will abandon you.**

**You worry about your shortcomings and fear that they will cause you to lose those that you care about. Do to this, you constantly hope that something will happen to you that will allow you to overcome your shortcomings.**

**You purposly try to avoid people so that you don't have to talk to them because you fear rejection, though, to others, it appears that you're antisocial. I can also tell that you fear making connections with people because you hate the feeling when someone close to you leaves, so you try not to make connections with other**

...

**You also don't like asking others for help because you feel that requiring help makes you weak, but in reality, that is not the case. You must realize that you cannot do everything by yourself. Relying on others is not a sign of weakness, its a sign of strength.**

**I also see that you also have a fierce since of loyalty within you. You would rather die than to abandon you friends. That is a rare quality in a person.**

Thanks... I think.

**You're quite welcome.**

**Taking everything into account, I have decided what Pokemon you will become .**

Really?! What will I be?!

**You'll just have to wait and see.**

You mean you won't tell me?

**Nope.**

...Meanie.

**All joking aside. It is time for you to enter the world of Pokemon. You will not remember me or this conversation. Now go forth! Never back down! Show everyone your inner strength!**

**Author's note:**

This is the first chapter of my Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Resistance series. I will still be updating Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Stardust, so there's no need to worry. This is my Christmas present for all of you. Thank you for your support.

AuraFighter23.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

Reborn

In the fading light of the evening, a lone Chimchar ran through the dense overgrowth of Shrouded Forest.

"No!" cried the Chimchar. "No, no, NO!"

The Chimchar ran through the forest, crying in anguish. As he ran, he took out his anguish on every passing tree.

"I won't go! I won't!" shouted the Chimchar. "I won't! I won't! I won't!"

The little Pokemon scratched at the tree closest to he as hard as he could, leaving gash after gash in the bark of the tree. The Chimchar continued to run until he reached a clearing he finally stopped running and wiped away the tears that fell from his eyes.

"Arceus why?" asked the Chimchar sorrowfully. "Why would they do it?!"

In a fit of rage, the little Chimchar screamed, releasing several small balls of fire from its mouth.

"I don't care what they say," said the Chimchar, his energy beginning to fade. "I refuse to go. They can't make me! I'll... I'll run away! Yeah, that's it. I'll run away to someplace where they'll never find me!"

Once the little Chimchar finally calmed down and fell to his knees in exhaustion. He held his hands tenderly, trying to dull the pain caused by his continuous attacks on the trees of the forest. He looked back at the path that he had traveled and saw how far he had run and the damage that he had caused to the forest.

As the young Chimchar continued to sit, his rage slowly began to fade, giving way to misery. He knew that deep down he was trapped. There was nothing he could do to defy the fate that was given to him. Everything that he had ever loved would be taken away from him. His parents, his friends, and his free will.

The Chimchar looked up to the sky with a tearful gaze. "Oh, great legends, please answer my prayers," whispered the small Pokemon. "If you can hear me, or if you even exist, please... help me. I don't want to go, so please... do something, anything."

The sun then completely set, bathing the sky in darkness as stars became visible. The Chimchar sighed as it got to his feat and walked towards the path that he had taken.

'No,' he thought, stopping in his tracks. 'I can't go back. There's nothing for me there.' The Chimchar turned and walked in the opposite direction. "I need to find shelter for the night, but where can I go?"

No sooner had he said that when a silvery light appeared deeper in the forest.

The Chimchar shielded his eyes, in a attempt to block out the light that seemed to be increasing in intensity. The just as suddenly as it appeared, the light faded away.

"What was that?" asked the Chimchar himself in wonder "That light came from close by," he said. "Hmm. I might as well investigate."

With his mind set, the little Chimchar ran towards where he saw the light fall.

**Nearby Shrouded Forest**

"Why are we still out here?"

"Because, Angela said that there was something important here."

Two Pokémon, a Greninja and a Manectric, made there way through Shrouded Forest. The figure in front moved with determination and a since of urgency while its partner followed reluctantly.

"Stride..."

"Just come on!"

The two forged on, losing the little light they had when the sun set. The Manectric was slowly losing his patience with his stubborn partner.

"Stride, it's dark out. We should head back."

"No. Angela had a vision that said there was something of importance was here, so we're going to find it."

"Stride, you don't really believe that kind of stuff do you?"

"She hasn't steered us wrong yet."

The Manectric sighed in exasperation. "There's nothing here but Fletchling and Vivillon. Besides, it's getting late. We should get back to base."

The Greninja ignored the Manectric and continued walking. The Manectric sighed in in exasperation as he followed his partner.

"What if Angela's wrong?" the Manectric asked.

"What if she's right?" countered Stride.

"Ugh! Stride stop being so stubborn and listen to me for once!"

"No you listen!" yelled Stride, shocking the Manectric. "Angela told me that there was something in this forest that could change the tide of the war! If that's not important to you than you can head back, but I'm going to continue!"

"... You think it's the silver soul don't you?"

"..."

The Manectric sighed. "Stride, the silver soul is just a myth. There's no proof that it even exists."

"... I know, but even if there's a small sliver of a chance, I have to check..." said Stride, looking irritated. "What if the silver soul exists and our enemies get it? What happens then?!"

"I know, I know," sighed the Manectric. "Fine. We'll walk a little longer."

The Greninja gave the Manectric a grateful smile. "Thanks Bolt."

The Manectric gave his partner a smile. "Hey, what are partners for?"

The two were about to continue their trek when a silvery light appeared further in the forest and disappeared shortly afterward.

"What the hell was that?!" asked Bolt.

"I believe _that's_ what we're here for." said Stride. He then turned to Bolt. "Let's go."

"It must have come from around here..." said the Chimchar as he made his way through the dense forest in search of the source of the light.

The Chimchar had been searching for where the light came from for the past ten minutes and he was becoming increasingly frustrated.

"Ugh! Why am I even doing this! I should just find a place to stay for the- Whoa!"

The Chimchar had walked into a clearing and saw, curled up into a small ball with its head resting on its tail, was a sleeping Riolu.

"Whoa!" said the Chimchar in wonder. "No way. That's a... Riolu! But those things don't live around here. Did it cause that light?"

True to his words, Riolu were very uncommon, especially in Chimchar's corner of the world. The Chimchar had only seen Riolu in books.

The Chimchar approached the sleeping Riolu cautiously, unsure if the Riolu was dangerous. 'I wonder if it's sentient.' he thought. 'Is it... dead? No, it can't be. It's breathing. Should I wake it up?'

As he got closer, he could see that the Riolu was in pain. It looked as if it was suffering from a severe headache. The Chimchar's anxiety got the best of him as he crouched down next to the Riolu and lightly shook it.

"Hey, wake up!" whispered the Chimchar.

The Riolu didn't respond.

"C'mon. Please get up!" pleaded the Chimchar, whispering a little louder.

When the Riolu continued to be unresponsive, the Chimchar became increasingly worried. The Chimchar sighed in frustration and stood up.

"Sorry about this," he said as he shot out a small ball of fire at the Riolu's tail, igniting it.

At first the Riolu didn't react, but then it's nose crinkled as it smelled burning fur. The Riolu opened its eyes and saw its burning tail. It stared at its burning tail for a second, then it registered the pain.

"OWW!" cried the Riolu as it jumped to its feat and ran around, attempting to put out its tail. When it finally managed to put out the fire it gave a sigh of relief.

"Sorry about that." said the Chimchar, sheepishly. "You weren't waking up and you looked like you were in pain, so..."

The Chimchar trailed off when he saw the Riolu clutching his head.

"My head..." muttered the Riolu.

"Did you hit your head or something?" asked the Chimchar.

The Riolu looked at him and his eyes widened. "D-did you just talk?" asked the Riolu.

The Chimchar gave him a curious look. "_Yeah_?"

"Ahh!" cried out the Riolu as it fell on its rear and scooted away, staring at the Chimchar in fear.

"What?" asked the Chimchar in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Y-you c-can talk?!" asked the shocked Riolu, pointing a finger at the Chimchar.

"Yeah, sooo..."

"But you're a Pokémon!"

The Chimchar gave him a curious look. "So? You're a Pokemon too."

"What?! No I'm not! I'm a human!"

"A human!" yelped the Chimchar in shock. "But you look like a normal Riolu to me. You probable hit your head when you fell."

"Fell?" asked the Riolu.

"There are probably some oran berries around here." said the Chimchar walking towards the trees that surrounded the crater.

"B-but you don't understand." said the Riolu, scrambling to his feat. "I'm a human! I just-"

"Dude, look at yourself." interrupted the Chimchar. "You have paws. You have fur. You have a tail. You are a Riolu.

The Riolu, reluctantly, looked at his hands, or paws and gasped in shock. He then turned and saw a tail, with a slightly burnt tip.

"Y-you're right!" gasped the Riolu. "I've turned into a Riolu! But- but how?!"

"Here," said the Chimchar, returning with a small blue berry. "This should help you feel better."

The Riolu took the fruit, but did not eat it. "H-how did this happen?" asked the Riolu, still trying to grasp the fact that he was now a Pokémon.

"Just eat the berry," said the Chimchar in an even tone, trying to calm the frantic Riolu. "It should help."

The Riolu looked at the small fruit curiously, before biting into it.

"Feel better?" asked the Chimchar.

"Sorta." replied the Riolu, finishing the fruit. "My headache's gone."

"Okay now think. What's the last thing you remember?"

"I... I can't remember anything!" cried the Riolu. "Why can't I remember anything?!"

"Okay, okay. Just calm down." said the Chimchar, trying to keep the Riolu from freaking out again. "Just try to remember something small. What's your name?"

"My name..." said the Riolu as he racked his brain. "I can't remember." His eyes widened. "I can't remember! I can't even remember my own name!"

"Just calm down." said the Chimchar, putting his hands up in a placating manner. "Now, are you sure that you don't remember anything?"

"I can't remember anything!" said the Riolu as he put his paws on his head, as if that would help him remember. "I try to remember, but I keep drawing a blank!"

"It's okay," said the Chimchar, placing a reassuring hand on the Riolu's back. "It'll be okay."

"But I can't remember anything," said the Riolu depressingly as tears began to form in his eyes. "What am I supposed to do now? I'm a human stuck as a Pokémon, in a place I don't know! What do I do?!"

The Chimchar looked at the Riolu's pained expression and felt for him.. "Well for now, how about I call you Zero?"

"Zero?" asked the Riolu, looking up.

"Yeah. Because you have zero memory. It's perfect!" said the Chimchar in an attempt to lighten the mood.

The Riolu just gave him a blank look that clearly said, "Really?".

The Chimchar gave him a sheepish look. "Anyway, my name's Furno," said the Chimchar, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you."

The Riolu looked at Furno's extended hand for a second before grasping his hand with his paw. "Nice to meet you too." said the Riolu with a smile. "So, where are we exactly?"

"We're in a place called Shrouded Forest.," responded Furno. "We're actually close to my house."

"You're house? You mean you live alone?"

"No. I live with... I mean I lived with my parents."

"_Lived_?" asked the Riolu curiously. "Did something happen to them?"

"No," said Furno bitterly. "I ran away..."

"Why?" asked the Riolu. Seeing the look on Furno's face he spoke again. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No it's fine," said Furno. "They wanted me to-"

The Riolu looked at Furno, curious of why he stopped talking.

"Why'd you-"

"Shh!" whispered Furno. "I thought I heard something."

The Riolu fell silent as he too began to listen. After a few seconds he heard the sound of breaking twigs.

"I heard it too!" whispered the Riolu.

"Come on!" said Furno, grabbing the Riolu's paw and dragged him into the forest and hid behind a tree.

The two hid in silence as they waited. After a few more minutes they both heard the sound of footsteps and two whispering voices.

"... I'm sure it came from around here."

"You said that in the last clearing we went to."

"We need to get out of here," whispered Furno to the Riolu as he began to slowly back up. "Move quietly."

The Riolu nodded and followed him. They had made it a few feet when the Riolu accidentally stepped on a twig, alerting the two that were in the clearing.

"What was that?" said one of the voices. "Who's there?!"

"Zero, RUN!" shouted Furno, grabbing the Riolu's paw and running through the forest.

"Stop!" shouted the voice.

"Who are they?!" shouted the Riolu as he followed the Chimchar, too shocked to mention the fact that Furno kept calling him Zero.

"They're the Emperor's forces!" said Furno, fear laced in his voice. "If we don't get away, they'll kidnap us!"

"W-what?" stuttered the Riolu as he continued to run.

"They went this way!" shouted one of the voices.

"They're gaining on us!" shouted Furno, as he picked up the pace. "If we don't get away..."

Furno gained a pensive look. "... I know a place that we can go, but it's risky," he then turned to the Riolu. "You're gonna have to trust me."

"O-okay."

"Then come on!" shouted Furno as he pulled the Riolu in a different direction.

The two ran for a few more minutes before they came upon a cave.

"This is it." said Furno stopping in front of the mouth of the cave.

"What is this place?" asked the Riolu.

"This place..." said Furno solemnly. "Is a mystery dungeon."

"A mystery dungeon?" asked the Riolu.

Before Furno could respond, shouts of the Pokémon that were pursuing them came from behind. "Stop right there!"

"Ugh. C'mon Zero!" said Furno as he pulled the Riolu into the cave.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

Escape

**Twisted Cave 1F**

As soon as the duo entered, the former human knew they were in trouble. As he looked around, he saw various paths which split into countless other paths.

"Come on!" said Furno urgently, pulling the Riolu down a path.

"What is this place?!" asked the Riolu in a panic, following Furno down a path.

"Like I said before, this is a mystery dungeon," replied Furno.

"Yeah, but you never explained _what_ mystery dungeon is," retorted the Riolu.

"A mystery dungeon is a cursed maze that's easy to get lost in," said Furno. "If you get lost... you're stuck here until someone comes and rescues you or... you die."

The former human gulped in fear. "How does a place become cursed?"

"No one knows," said Furno. "but part of the curse is that a mystery dungeon never stays the same."

"Never stay the same?" repeated the Riolu.

"Yeah. Whenever you enter a mystery dungeon, the rooms and paths change. Some say that it's because of some kind of space anomaly that cause places to turn into mystery dungeon," explained Furno. He then turned to the Riolu. "We're going to have to work together if we want to get out of here Zero."

"You're seriously calling me that?" asked the Riolu with a deadpan expression.

The Chimchar merely shrugged. "Like I said, it fits."

"Whatever," said the Riolu, now named Zero. "So how exactly are we supposed to get out of here?"

"We have to find the entrance to the next floor. That's the only way to get out of a mystery dungeon."

"The next floor? So what are we looking for? A staircase?" asked Zero sarcastically.

"Exactly," said Furno, missing the look of disbelief on Zero's face. "We also need to avoid the wild Pokémon that reside here because they'll attack us."

"Wait... we have to _fight_ other Pokémon?!" screamed DJ. "I-I can't fight other Pokémon! Can't we just... I don't know, talk to them?!"

"Unfortunately, no," replied Furno. "The Pokémon that reside in mystery dungeons aren't sentient, meaning that they can't talk. The only way for a wild Pokémon from a mystery dungeon to become sentient is for it to be taken out of a dungeon and-"

"Yaah!"

Furno was interrupted by Zero tripping over his own two feet and falling flat on his face. Zero just laid on the ground, holding his throbbing head and slightly blushing from embarrassment.

"Sorry," mumbled Zero in embarrassment. "I'm still getting used to this body."

"I figured," laughed Furno as he helped Zero to his feet. "If you really were human, you would have been _a lot_ taller than a Riolu. I've heard that Pokémon have the same problem once they evolve. It takes them a while to- Hey! Look over there!"

Zero looked in the direction that Furno indicated to and saw a small chamber. Squinting, Zero could see a staircase leading up to what looked like a trapdoor.

"It's the staircase," exclaimed Furno. "I'm surprised that we didn't run into any wild Pokémon. Come on, those guys might still be following us!"

**Twisted Cave 2F**

"Furno, who are those guys that are chasing us?" asked Zero as he and the young Chimchar explored the second floor.

"I'm not really sure, but I didn't want to find out," replied Furno. "If they are the Emperor's forces, we need to get away from them."

"Who exactly are the Emperor's forces?" asked Zero curiously.

Furno sighed. "They're basically an army of law enforcers that work for the Emperor."

"So they basically just go around and enforce the Emperor's laws," reasoned Zero. "But if they're after you... does that mean _you're_ a criminal?"

"No! It's not like that!" shouted Furno, turning to Zero. "The Emperor, or as some call him, the Dark Emperor is a bad guy! He's _supposed _to be out leader, but he only took control for his own selfish reasons. His _law enforcers_ do terrible things to the Pokémon of Lyore! The invade towns, steal, and kidnap other Pokémon... and they're so powerful that no one can stand up to them. And if we even try to resist, the Emperor punishes us."

A mixture of rage and sadness appear on Furno's face as he glared at the floor.

"... And they want to take me," he whispered.

"Take you?"

"Yeah. The Emperor sends his soldiers out to travel the country and has them pick out Pokémon to either join his army or become his personal servant," said Furno. "They...they came by my home earlier today and told me that I had to join them and that they would be back for me tonight. During that entire time, my parents only watched."

Tears began to fall from the young Chimchar's eyes as he continued to talk.

"They just watched as their son lost everything!" cried Furno. "They just stood there and watched as I lost my freedom! That's why I ran away... I refuse to join the Emperor's forces. I want to be free to do what I want!"

"So that's why we're running," said DJ. "They came to capture you."

"I think that they saw me run away and they followed me," said Furno. He then turned to Zero and looked at him with tear filled eyes. "If they find me...I'll be a slave for the rest of my life. You'll help me, won't you Zero?"

"I..."

"Listen," pleaded Furno. "Tonight, when I ran away, I prayed to the legends and I think they answered me. I think they sent you here to help me! Think about it. You're a human in a Pokémon's body, right? You just appeared in that clearing in a silvery light. Zero, you were meant to help me!"

Zero just stood there completely stunned. He looked into Furno's eyes and saw the fear that the little Chimchar was going through because of this "Emperor".

Though he really wanted to help this Chimchar, he couldn't forget about his own situation.

"Zero?"

_I don't know what to do, _DJ thought to himself. _This is just so much to process! This Chimchar, that I just met, is asking me to become an outlaw for him. Maybe I was sent here to help, but by who. Who are these so called legends, and what do they have to do with me?_

"Zero!" shouted Furno, tearing him out of his thoughts. "LOOK OUT!"

Zero turned and had just enough time to dodge a purple blur.

"It's a Noibat!" Furno yelled. "Get ready!"

"Ready?!" asked Zero in confusion. "Ready for what?!"

The Noibat dive-bombed Furno, screeching loudly. Furno quickly jumped away and dodged the Noibat.

Zero backed up against the wall, not knowing what to do.

The Noibat charged at Furno again, only for him to dodge again. As the Noibat came by to attack again, Furno leapt at the flying Pokémon and scratched it relentlessly. The Noibat screeched in outrage as it tried to attack, only to fly directly into a barrage of embers courtesy of Furno. The small bat Pokémon was hit by the embers and with one final screech, it fell out of the air and collapsed on the ground.

"Is...is it dead?" asked DJ.

"Hardly," said Furno. "It's just knocked out. It takes _a lot_ more than that to kill a Pokémon."

Zero looked at the downed Noibat and saw that, besides the scratches and burns, it was still alive.

"You know, you could have helped out," said Furno mockingly. "You don't have to be a coward."

"I'm not a coward!" snapped Zero in indigence. "I just don't know how to fight."

"Every Pokémon know how to fight," said Furno. "It's hardwired into out brains. Just let your instincts take over, and you'll be fine. Besides, you're a lot stronger than you think. Riolu are one of the strongest fighting type out there."

Zero looked at the unconscious Noibat one last time, before he and Furno continued with their exploration.

**Twisted Cave 3F**

"How long is this dungeon?" asked Zero as they climbed the stairs to the third floor.

"I'm not sure," Furno answered truthfully. "Each mystery dungeon has a different number of floors. A dungeon can range between four and one hundred floors."

Zero gulped. "I hope this dungeon of the one hundred floor ones."

The two walked in silence for a few minutes before Furno spoke. "Zero, have you...thought about my question?"

_Question? Zero_ thought. _ What ques-Oh..._

"Look, Furno," sighed Zero. "I just don't know. I just came to this world and I don't really know what's all going on, so I can't really make a decision."

"Then let's make a deal," said Furno. "If you be my friend and help me evade the Emperor's soldiers, I'll help you with being a Pokémon and try to help you figure out how to change back if you want to. Deal?"

_What should I do? Zero_ thought as he weighed out his options. _On one hand, running with this Chimchar means running from the law. On the other hand, I have no idea what's going on around here. Plus I don't know how to be a Pokémon._

Zero looked into Furno's eyes, searching for any sign of deceit. What he found was a look of great sadness, depression, sincerity, and a small glimmer of hope.

_I guess I have no choice, _Zero thought with a small sigh. _Even if I didn't go with Furno, I would still be a Pokémon. I'd rather travel with someone who knows this place than alone._

"Well?" asked Furno eagerly.

Zero sighed. "Okay," said Zero with a smile, holding out his paw. "I'll help you."

However, instead of shaking his paw, Furno jumped at Zero and crushed him with a hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" shouted Furno in happiness. Tears of joy fell from his eyes as he continued to crush Zero. "Thank you so much! You have no idea what this means for me!"

"No problem," said Zero, trying to breathe. "Can you let me go now? I can't breathe."

As they continued through the dungeon, Zero noticed a huge change in Furno's demeanor. He used to act depressed, but now he was practically skipping in joy, a smile firmly plastered on his face. Zero couldn't help but smile at the Chimchar's antics.

"We need to watch out for more Noibat," rambled Furno, still happy that Zero had agreed to help him. "They tend to travel in groups. Plus there might be Geodude and Roggenrola here. They usually live in caves like this."

"Well next time, I'll help you out," said Zero, his voice full of determination.

"That's the spirit!" said Furno, patting Zero on the back. "Fighting's not that hard once you get the hang of it. And like I said, fighting is basically hardwired into our brains. Also, the more you fight, the more tricks you can learn to help you as you fight. I've been fighting all my life and, just last month, I learned how to spit fire."

"Cool," said Zero. His stomach then growled loudly, gaining the attention of both Pokémon. Zero scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry. Guess I'm hungry."

"That to be expected," said Furno. "You see, being in a mystery dungeon causes you to get hungry faster. I think it's because you heal a lot faster in a dungeon as well. That's why it's important to bring lots of food when you enter a dungeon."

"I don't suppose you have any food with you?" asked Zero.

"Sorry, but maybe we'll some food in one of the rooms."

The two continued to walk, but found no food. They did, however, find the stairs to the next floor.

**Twisted Cave 4F**

"Ugh," said Furno as they came to they entered the fourth floor. "I'm getting hungry too. I hope that we can find something or I my just faint from hunger."

The duo kept on walking in search of food, but found nothing. They were about to give up when they came upon a room that held a single apple.

"An apple!" exclaimed Furno as he picked it up. "That could feed us both!"

Furno took a big bite of the apple and grimaced slightly. "It's a little sour, but it's alright."

"What about me?"

"You get half," said Furno, handing him the remaining apple.

Zero took the apple and examined it. Besides the large bite, the apple looked okay. It was bruised in several places, but Zero was hungry enough to eat anything.

Zero took a bite, and found that it was indeed sour. He ignored its sour taste and finished off the apple, thankful that he had something in his stomach.

"Okay," said Furno. "Now that we've eaten, let's-"

He was cut off by a low rumbling sound that came from behind the duo. The to turned and saw a enraged Geodude. It gave another low rumble and charged the duo.

"Geodude!" shouted Furno as he and Zero jumped to the side to avoid it. "Zero do something!"

"What can I do?!" asked Zero.

"I don't know!" yelled Furno. "You're a fighting type, punch it or something!"

The Geodude gave another rumble and shot at them again. Furno jumped to the left while Zero jumped to the right in order to dodge the Geodude. Not knowing what to do, Zero jumped forward and punched the Geodude in the face. The Geodude reeled back in pain from the punch.

Zero looked at his fist in shock. "Wow," said Zero. "I can't believe that actually worked."

"Zero, look out!" shouted Furno.

Zero turned and saw the Geodude charging him at breakneck speed, giving him no time to dodge.

Zero instinctively brought his paws up in defense and got rammed into the wall by the Geodude. Zero groaned in pain, but kept on his feet. The Geodude rared its arm back, ready to punch Zero. Panicking, Zero slammed his paws into the Geodude in an attempt to push it away. What happened next shocked both Zero and Furno. Shortly after Zero placed his paws on the Geodude a huge light fired from his paw and sent the Geodude flying into the opposite wall. The Geodude slumped to the ground and became still.

Both Zero and Furno stared open-mouthed at the unconscious Geodude.

"W-what was that?!" stuttered Zero.

"I think that was some kind of move," said Furno, still staring at the unconscious Geodude with an expression of pure amazement. Furno then turned to Zero and grinned. "_See_?! I told you that you were strong!"

"Y-yeah," said Zero, looking at his paws in amazement.

"Come on," said Furno, grabbing Zero's paw. "Let's get out of here before more Pokémon show up."

"R-right," replied Zero, allowing himself to be pulled along by Furno.

The two pressed on, navigating through the dungeon. They ran into a few sleeping Pokémon, but they avoided them and continued on. After a few more minutes of walking, the duo entered a room that had a opening on the far wall. As they got closer to it, they could feel a cool breeze emanating from it.

"That must be the exit!" exclaimed Furno. "Come on!"

With that, Furno grabbed Zero's paw and pulled him towards the opening.

**Regal Plains**

As the two stepped outside, they were immediately met with a cool breeze. It was still dark out, despite the hours that the two had spent in the mystery dungeon. A few stars twinkled brightly in the sky, illuminating their surroundings. Zero gazed at the large plain in amazement. All around there were lush green grass, with patches of wild flowers dotting the landscape.

"We made it Zero!" shouted Furno gleefully, encasing Zero in another one of his bone-crushing hugs. "We made it through the dungeon and lived!"

Zero, after he regained his ability to breathe, laughed along with his new friend. After they both calmed down, they sat down and gazed at the sky, which was slowly becoming colorful, due to the rising sun.

"Looks like we lost the guys that were chasing us," said Zero enjoying the fresh air. "Looks like you're free."

"...Yeah," said Furno, his smile slowly slipping away.

"Where do we go next?" asked Zero.

"You're not going anywhere!" came a voice from the dungeon exit.

Zero and Furno turned to see a Greninja and Manectric charging out of the exit. Before either Zero or Furno could react, they were surrounded by the other two.

"That was a good tactic," said the Greninja. "Running into a mystery dungeon like that was pretty smart, but now it ends."

"You're coming with us," said the Manectric.

"NO! I won't go with you!" shouted Furno, jumping to his feet. He unleashed a flurry of embers at the Greninja, who was the closest, but it was countered by a stream of water from the Greninja.

"I'm afraid that you don't have a say in the matter," said the Greninja, advancing on the two. "You two are coming with us, whether you want to or not."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

Welcome to the Resistance

Zero couldn't believe it. He had woken up with no memories, befriended a renegade Chimchar, and braved through a mystery dungeon. And after all of that, they were captured. He had broken his promise to his one friend in this world and he felt horrible.

"Who are you guys?!" demanded Zero as he and Furno were led down a random path by the Greninja and Manectric.

"We could ask the same thing of you," said the Manectric. "I haven't seen a Riolu in...I don't know how long. It's certainly an oddity. That's why you're coming with us."

"If you want me, then why not let this Chimchar go?" pleaded Zero.

"No, he's coming too," replied the Greninja.

"Why?!" asked Zero. "Why are you taking us?! And where are we going?!"

"If you needed to know, we would have told you," said the Greninja. "Now unless you wish to have a nice conversation, I would prefer you not to ask any more questions. We've had a long day and we're both tired."

They walked a little while longer in silence as the sun continued to rise, revealing more of the landscape around them. Zero kept looking at his friend and each time his heart sank a little lower. Furno looked torn and in pain, as if he was fighting a battle within his heart.

"Well..." Furno finally spoke, his eyes still firmly planted on the ground. "At least we can say we tried. We made it through a mystery dungeon on our own! But...I guess this was bound to happen. Sorry Zero. I got you roped into all this, but I am, and will forever be, eternally grateful for all you've done for me."

At this, Zero felt his own heart break. His friend's voice, which used to be full of life, was now dead and hollow. He found himself hating the Emperor and his forces for what they put Furno through.

Then he felt it. The energy that had filled him when he was fighting the Geodude. He had to do something. The Riolu within him would not him standby and let the only friend he had in this world suffer. He had to fight. He had to help his friend.

Zero eyed the Greninja, weighing his options. His whole body tensed as he prepared a plan. He would turn around, jump at the Greninja, and hit him with that palm attack he used on that Geodude.

_Here goes nothing, _Zero thought. _This is for you Furno._

Zero jumped.

The next thing he knew, he was soaring through the air from a kick. Before he even his the ground he was hit by some kind of watery disk that cut him across his side. He hit the ground, landing on his tail. Zero groaned as he got into a sitting position, clutching his side.

"Zero!" shouted Furno. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine," grunted Zero. He then turned to the Greninja. "How'd you know I was going to attack."

"I saw you're body tense before you were about to strike," explained the Greninja in a grave tone. "It would take a lot more than to get the jump on me."

Zero coughed, only to wince in pain and clutched his side. When he removed his paw he saw that he was bleeding.

Furno quickly rushed to his friends side. "Why?" asked Furno as he checked his friend's injuries. "Why would you do that?"

"Because..." said Zero, looking at the other two Pokémon in defiance. "I won't let them take you away!"

"Zero..."

"Now if there are no more interruptions, let's keep going," said the Manectric.

"Not until you tell us where we're going and who you are!" shouted Zero.

The Manectric turned to his partner. "Maybe we should tell them,"said the Manectric. "It might ease their worries."

"No," responded the Greninja, but in a thoughtful manner. "All they need to know is that they need to come with us and we can't have them running away."

"You made that clear," grumbled Zero, still holding his bleeding side. "Now what do you want with us?"

"Don't bother Zero," growled Furno. "I know why they're here. They're here to take us to the Emperor and turn us into slaves."

The Greninja and Manectric eyed each other for a second before bursting out in laughter.

"What?!" asked Furno angrily. "What's so funny?!"

"Y-you think t-that we're w-with the Emperor?" asked the Manectric though fits of laughter. "That's a good one!"

"You mean you're _not_ with the Emperor?" asked Furno in confusion.

"He wishes," chuckled the Greninja.

"He'd probably pay anything to have us as part of his forces," agreed the Manectric.

"If you're not with the Emperor, then who are you with?" asked Zero.

"We can't tell you just yet," said the Greninja. "But rest assured, you will not be harmed in any way. We just want to check something. After that, you're as free as a Butterfree."

"You promise?" asked Furno.

"You have my word," replied the Greninja with a small smile, which looked weird with his tongue hanging out. "Now let's get going. We still have a ways to go."

The four then continued their trek without any further altercations. The Greninja and Manectric walked side by side with Furno and Zero as a sign of trust. Zero looked at Furno and was glad to see that he was in a better mood now that he knew that he wasn't going to me taken to the Emperor. Though he did have a look of puzzlement.

_I don't understand this either,_ Zero said to himself. He then winced and held his side. _Oww. This cut still hurts._

**Scared Field**

As they continued to walk, Zero noticed a change in the environment. The lush green grass were replaced with yellow and brown grass that only grew in patches. The earth itself was cracked and broken. The few trees that dotted the landscape were all stripped of their leaves and dying. It was like the everything in this field had the life sucked out of it.

"You okay Furno?" asked Zero, losing interest in the landscape.

"I'm fine," replied Furno. "I wish I knew what was going on, but as long as I don't have to go to the Emperor, I'm happy."

"The Emperor..." growled the Greninja. "He's my worst enemy."

"Really?" blurted out Furno.

"Indeed," replied the Greninja. "When I was just young, I was recruited into the Emperor's forces. While there, I saw first hand the cruelty of the Emperor and I wanted no part of it. So I escaped."

"You escaped the Emperor?" asked Furno in astonishment. "Wow! How'd you do it?"

"Why do you care?" asked the Greninja, glancing at the young Chimchar.

"Because Furno was chosen by the Emperor's forces too," said Zero. "That's why he ran away."

"I see," said the Greninja. "That's why you ran from us. You thought we were the Emperor's forces."

"Yep," said Zero.

"I must commend your bravery young Chimchar," said Greninja, looking at Furno. "It took courage to defy the Emperor. And for you to stand up to me for the sake of your friend is also commendable my young Riolu."

Both Furno and Zero blushed at the praise. The Greninja then turned to the Manectric.

"Looks like we found another run away," said the Manectric. "They both have a reason to fight. Do you think that..."

"Maybe," responded the Greninja. "We'll just have to wait and see. Either way, I believe it would be okay to answer their questions."

Both Pokémon stopped walking and turned to the other two.

"My name is Stride," said the Greninja. "The Manectric is my partner, Bolt. We are both member of a resistance team."

"Resistance team," asked Furno wide eyed. "You mean that you resist the _Emperor_?!

"Exactly," replied Bolt. "We are part of an underground resistance cell that fights the Emperor's rule. We couldn't tell you before because we weren't sure if you supported the Emperor, but now that we no that you oppose him, we can answer your questions. Currently, we're on our way to our 'base of operations'. There are several resistance cells all around Lyore that are named after the legends. The one we're heading to is known as the Latios Division. It exists as a series of underground passageways and chambers that are right beneath our feet, under this very field. We're about a mile away from the entrance."

"The Pokémon of the resistance range from thousands to the hundred-thousands," explained Stride. "We're no just some guerrilla force; we have been growing for the past decades. It started with just one resistance cell, but we grew and split into divisions. There's actually another base a little ways away called the Latias Division. It is our sister division and we work closely with them. Though the majority of the divisions work separately."

"Wow!" exclaimed Furno, stars in his eyes. "So you guys are part of the Latios Division?"

"Yep," replied Stride. "The Pokémon that reside in the Latios Division are broken up into teams. There are close to sixty teams in the Latios Division alone. My team is known as Team Surge. We consist of twelve Pokémon, myself and Bolt included."

"Were you guys sent to find us?" asked Zero.

"No," replied Bolt. "We were actually on our way back from a mission and we ran into by accident."

"Oh," said Furno. "Well, sorry for making you chase us through that dungeon."

"No problem," said Stride. "I would also like to apologize to you young Riolu. Your wound should heal soon."

Zero looked at his wound and saw that it was scabbing over. It still stung, but a lot less than before.

"So why did you go out of your way to chase us?" asked Zero. "And what is it that you want to check?"

"You're just full of questions aren't you?" chuckled Bolt. "_That,_ we can't tell you yet."

Zero didn't argue. He was content that most of his questions were answered. Falling silent, he continued to follow Stride and Bolt.

"Hey...Stride?" Furno asked meekly, gaining the Greninja's attention. "Could we...stay at the base for awhile?"

"That can be arranged," answered Stride. "But it wouldn't be permanent."

"Oh..." said Furno, slightly dejected. "How come?"

"Because the Latios Division is not a refugee camp. While we can provide temporary quarters, we can only allow members to stay."

"Can we join?!" asked Furno excitedly.

"Being on a resistance team is not just fun and games," said Bolt. "You have to work hard everyday. You will be fighting for the Pokémon who can't fight for themselves. You would be put through extensive training that will push you to your limits each time. Many who have wished to join gave up shortly afterward."

"Regardless, we don't turn away those that are willing to join," said Stride. "If you truly hate the Emperor, and what he has done, we won't turn you away."

"Then we'll join," said Furno. "I want to see a world without the Emperor and I am willing to train like there's no tomorrow if that's what it takes."

Stride nodded and then turned to Zero. "And what about you Riolu?" he asked. "So far only the Chimchar seems to be speaking for you, but I would like to know what you think of all this. Do you wish to join as well?"

_What do I want? I don't know? _DJ thought. He truly didn't know what he wanted. He looked at Furno and saw that he had a pleading look in his eyes. _Well, I've come this far. I might as well keep going._

"Okay," sighed Zero, turning to Furno and smiling. "I'm with you Furno."

"Thank you!" shouted Furno. "You won't regret it, I promise!"

The four continued to make there way to their destination in silence. Furno was practically skipping along, happy that he had a new home. Zero couldn't help but smile at the Chimchar's antics. The walked for a few more minutes, then everything changed.

Zero blinked when when the landscape changed from a dead looking field to a that of a cave.

"W-what just happened?!" asked Zero in confusion.

"We just passed through security," said Bolt.

"Security?" asked Furno in confusion.

"Yes, security," said Stride, chuckling at their confusion. "You see, we have a ring of ghost Pokémon that surround the base in a two mile radius. They then escort resistance members to the base and once they get there, they take your memories."

"What?!" shouted Furno. "Why?!"

"It's a precaution to make sure that if a resistance member is captured by the Emperor, they will not be able to reveal our base's location," answered Bolt.

"Oh," said Furno. "I guess that makes since."

"Okay so right now, we're heading to Team Surge's barracks, where we will all get a well deserved rest," said Stride. "I don't know about you two, but Bolt and I have been up all night and we're tired. Now, though it is really early, there still may be some Pokémon there. If we do encounter anyone, you are not to talk to _any_ of them. Understand?"

Furno and Zero both nodded.

"Good," said Stride. "We'll rest up and we'll continue this discussion this time tomorrow."

With his piece said, Stride turned and led them through the caverns of the Latios Division.

Zero was completely astonished at the sheer size of the cavern. There were four connecting tunnels that branched out in various directions. Stride led them down one of the tunnels that went further down into the earth. The walls were lined with what looked like torches. Upon closer inspection, Zero saw that the 'torches' were sticks with some kind of glowing stones tied to them.

"Please keep up," called Stride from further ahead.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Zero rushed forward to catch up. The group exited the tunnel and entered another large chamber that had multiple tunnels connected to it.

_How are you supposed to know where to go?_ DJ asked himself as Stride led them down another tunnel. _At least Stride seems to know where to go._

After a few more minutes of walking, the group found themselves in front of a door that had a plaque on the side that read, Team Surge.

"We're here," Stride told them. "Now, let me take you two to a spare room so that you can-"

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing an angry looking Absol.

"Ah, good morning Seth," said Stride in a slightly surprised, but respectful, tone.

"Stride," said the Absol in acknowledgment. "Good to you. I trust that everything went wrong on your mission?"

"Everything went well," said Stride.

"That's good to here," said the Absol. "Now, who are these children?"

"They are...guests," answered Stride.

"I see," said the Absol. "Then allow me to escort them to the guest quarters."

"They will be staying with _us_," insisted Stride. "They will be staying in the spare room next to mine."

The Absol scowled at this and shook his head in the negative. "Stride, you know the rules. All guests have to stay-"

"They're staying with us and that's final," said Stride, raising his voice slightly.

Stride and the Absol had a silent battle of the wills. They glared at each other for what seemed like hours. Finally, the Absol grunted and forced himself past the group, walking down the hallway.

"Who was that?" Furno whispered to Zero.

"Not sure, but he didn't look too friendly," replied Zero.

"You two will be staying here for the night," said Stride, gesturing to a room. "Sleep well you two. I'll get you tomorrow."

The two nodded and entered the room, ready for some much needed rest.

Once they were gone, Bolt turned to Stride and whispered to him. "Do you really think that one of them has the silver soul?"

"I'm not sure," answered Stride. "But we did find them shortly after we saw that silvery light. We'll just have to wait and see what Phoebe say tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

Tour

Zero did not know how long he had slept for, but he found himself staring at the stalactite covered ceiling.

_I'm still a Riolu,_ he noticed, looking at his paws. _I guess all that wasn't a dream._

Zero sighed and continued to stare up at the ceiling as his memories of the previous day slowly returned to him.

_I'm going to be on a resistance team like Stride and Bolt, _he realized. _I wonder what it will be like. Will I have to fight the Emperor's forces everyday? I'm still not very good at fighting. But most importantly... am I going to figure out how I ended up like this? The only thing that I can actually remember from being a human was that I was a human. _

Zero sighed and rolled onto his side, seeing that Furno seemed to be asleep.

_I wonder if Furno has something to do with my transformation, _Zero thought. _He did say that he prayed to the legends for help. Maybe that has something to do with it._

"Hey Zero, you awake?" Furno mumbled wearily.

Zero's eyes widened in shock; he though Furno was still asleep.

"Yeah,"

"I was thinking," Furno said opening his eyes and looking at Zero. "Yesterday, when you attacked Stride. Why did you do it?"

"I made you a promise," Zero replied. "And though I can't remember anything about my past, I'm pretty sure that I don't go back on a promise."

"You didn't have to go as far as fighting the Emperor's forces for me," Furno said. "But I'm touched that you would do that for me."

"That's the thing," Zero said. "I originally didn't want to fight. I knew that I was outmatched. But it was like there was a voice in my head screaming at me to fight and keep the promise I made. I think it was my instincts, but I'm not sure."

"Well, do you know what Zero?" Furno said. "When Stride asked if you wanted to join, if you said no, I would have changed my mind."

"What?" he asked in surprise. "Why? You seemed so excited about joining. Why would you have changed your mind if I didn't agree to join as well?"

"Because I made a promise to you too. I said that I would help you be a Pokémon and I don't go back on my promises either."

Zero was shocked at this. Here was a Pokémon that was willing to give up their dream just for him, a Riolu, that used to be a human, that he just met. He was sure that, as a human, he never formed bonds like this that fast. He wondered if all Pokémon made bonds this fast. But despite all that, he was grateful to have someone to call 'friend' in this world.

"And that's not going to change," Furno added. "If you want to quit I'll go with you. So don't feel like you have to stay. It's totally up to you."

"Thanks Furno," Zero said gratefully. "But I think I'll stick around. I don't really have anywhere else to go, so this is probably my best option."

"Whatever you say Zero," Furno said, smiling contently.

"Can't you think of a better name for me?" Zero asked in mock annoyance.

"Nah," Furno responded cheerfully. "I like the way it sounds. So you are Zero from now on."

"Whatever," Zero sighed in exasperation, though he was smiling.

It was at that moment, a loud banging came from outside their door, followed by an angry voice.

"Wake up!"

The two jumped in surprise as the door opened and the Absol from yesterday entered.

"This place is not a hotel, so get out," the Absol said. "Stride is waiting for you two in the lounge."

"Okay, okay," Furno said in an annoyed tone. "We're going."

"Don't use that tone with me _hatchling_," the Absol growled. "Consider yourselves lucky. I has been a long time since we've let _hatchlings_ stay in our midst. Normally, I would have sent you to one of the many training teams, but Stride had the ludicrous idea that you two should form your own team."

"Our own team?" Furno asked in shock. "I thought we were joining Team Surge."

"_You_, join Team Surge? Ha!" the Absol sneered as he practically pushed the duo out of the room and down the hallway that led to the lounge. "There's no way that we would allow _hatchlings_ on this team. We _do_ have standards. Either way, you're no longer welcome in our barracks, so-"

"Leave them alone Seth," came Stride's voice from in the lounge. Looking past the Absol, Furno and Zero saw Stride standing next to the exit. "I asked you to wake them up, not chew them out."

The Absol merely growled in response and stalked off.

Stride sighed and gave the duo a apologetic look. "Sorry about Seth. He takes being second in command _very _seriously."

"It's fine," Furno said. "So is it true that we're making our own team?"

"Yes it is," Stride answered. "But first you have to take a test of sorts."

"What kind of test?" Furno asked worriedly.

"I can't really explain it, but it will be over quickly," Stride said, walking towards the exit. "Follow me."

"All these tunnels are making my head spin," Furno said. "How do you not get lost in here?"

After leaving Team Surge's barracks, Stride had led Zero and Furno up the passageway to the large cavern that they had entered through the previous day and led them down another passageway that twisted and turned repeatedly.

"It takes a while," Stride said as they entered a small room. "We're here."

The room that they entered was about as big as the lounge in Team Surge's barracks with several chairs, a table, a mirror, and a green rug. Looking further into the room, a wooden door could be seen.

Stride walked over to the door and knocked. A few seconds later a Mismagius floated out.

"Ah, Stride." the Mismagius said. "What can I do for you?"

"I would like you to test these two," Stride said, indicating to Zero and Furno.

"Again Stride?" the Mismagius sighed. "What does this make; the twelfth time this month you've asked me to check someone? Each time I do it's the same result over and over again."

"Phoebe," Stride said.

"Bah," Phoebe said, rolling her eyes. "Fine, but you owe me."

"Umm, what exactly are you going to be testing for?" Furno asked nervously.

"Well you see, Phoebe here is going to be looking at your souls," Stride explained.

"Our souls?" Furno said worriedly. "Why are you going to look at our souls?"

"To see if you have the silver soul," Stride said.

"The silver soul?" asked Furno. "What's that?"

Ignoring his question, Phoebe drifted over to him.

"Please hold still," Phoebe said, closing her eyes. When she opened them they were glowing blue. "Look into my eyes."

Furno did as he was told and looked into Phoebe's glowing eyes. After about a minute of silence, Phoebe closed her eyes and sighed.

"Does he have it?" Stride asked.

"No, he doesn't have it," Phoebe replied. "Just like _all_ the others you had me test."

"Ah, well," Stride said, slightly disappointed. "Well check the Riolu now."

"What's the point?" Phoebe said. "It's unlikely that he has it. It would just be a waste of time to check him."

"Phoebe, please," Stride said. "Just test him. I only had you test the Chimchar as a precaution, but my real hopes are with the Riolu. There's something about this Riolu that is...different."

"You've said that about _every_ Pokémon you've had me check," Phoebe said. "What makes you think that this time will be different?"

"Phoebe..."

"Fine!" the Mismagius huffed. "If it will get you out of here."

The Mismagius floated over to Zero and closed her eyes. "Now," she said, revealing her now glowing blue eyes. "Look into my eyes."

Zero stared into the glowing spheres that were Phoebe's eyes and waited. The seconds seemed to drag by as Zero continued to stare into Phoebe's eyes. A minute passed, then another, and then another and Zero was becoming slightly nervous.

_Why is it taking her so long? _Zero thought._ Maybe it's taking so long because I have the silver soul. Or maybe she hasn't even started..._

No sooner had this thought crossed his mind, Phoebe closed her eyes and backed away.

"Well?" Stride asked eagerly.

"He doesn't have it," Phoebe said.

"Are you sure?" Stride asked.

"Yes I'm sure!" Phoebe snapped. "Just like all the other Pokémon you've brought me, he doesn't have it."

"But that light that I saw," Stride muttered to no one in particular. "I was so sure that it had something to do with it..."

"Well you thought wrong," Phoebe said. "Now if you don't mind, get out of my room."

"So much for that," Stride sighed as he led Furno and Zero down another staircase. "I was so sure that one of you had the silver soul."

"What exactly is the silver soul?" Furno asked curiously. "The way you keep saying it makes it seem really important."

"You don't have to concern yourself with it," Stride answered. "It doesn't apply to you so don't worry about it."

"Okay," Furno said a little dejectedly.

"Well since that was a bust, I guess I'll give you a tour of the base," Stride said, changing the subject.

"Cool!" Furno said excitedly, his depression vanishing immediately. "Where are we going first?"

"We'll start with the hospital," Stride said. "That way you'll know where to go in case you are injured during a mission. By the way, I never did ask your names did I?"

"Well I'm Furno and this here is Zero," Furno said.

"Zero?" Stride said giving Zero a curious look. "That is an...unusual name."

"Well I sorta came up with it on the fly," Furno said sheepishly. "You see, Zero here woke up in the middle of Shrouded Forest without any memories."

"Really?" Stride said. "That's interesting. It seems that the mystery that surrounds you, little Riolu, continues to grow."

Zero scratched the back of his head sheepishly, unsure of how to reply.

"In any case, perhaps Dr. Kuren can help you," Stride said.

"Dr. Kuren?" Furno asked.

"He's a Spinda that's in charge of the hospital," Stride said, leading them to an archway. "And believe me when I tell you, he's _very_ good at his job. We're here."

The room that the trio walked through the archway and entered the hospital area. The room was very large, about three times the size of Team Surge's barracks, and had several stone table-like structures coming from the ground, several of which held Pokémon. There were also several stone shelves that lined the walls of the room. On each shelf was an assortment of medicine bottles and other instruments. Also lining the walls were the strange stone torches that Zero had seen when they first entered the base. Pokémon bustled around them, tending to the Pokémon that occupied the tables.

"Stride! Good to see ol' boy," came a voice.

The turned and saw a Spinda walking towards them.

"It's good to see you too Dr. Kuren," Stride said. "I was just showing these two around. Zero, Furno, this here is Dr. Kuren. If you're ever injured on a mission, he's the first one you go to. He'll fix you up in a jiffy."

"That right," the Spinda said proudly. "I've got everything you'll ever need. Whether you're poisoned, burned, paralyzed, or even frozen, I'll fix you up quick. Though it may take me a couple of tries to get the right bottle, I'll still get the job done."

Zero and Furno exchanged glances.

"Speaking of fixing, I was wondering if you could have a look at young Zero here." Stride said, pushing Zero forward. "He's suffering from amnesia and I was wondering if you could help him out."

"Amnesia you say?" Dr. Kuren asked, looking at Zero with his swirled eyes. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that. Perhaps one of the other psychics that reside here could help."

"Oh well," Stride said. "Thank you anyway Doctor."

"No problem ol' boy," Dr. Kuren said cheerfully. "I hope to see you again. Actually, no. I hope that you all stay safe and healthy and never come back here. Bye."

The Spinda teetered off in a random direction, almost running into several Pokémon.

"He's a little... off isn't he?" Furno said to Stride.

"He _is_ a little odd," Stride agreed. "But he is a very good doctor. Now let's continue with the tour."

"We're heading to the division's market next," Stride said as he led them down yet another passageway.

"I still can't get over how big this place is," Furno said as he moved to the side to avoid an Elekid that was going in the opposite direction.

"Well it took us nearly ten years to build this place," Stride explained as the entered another large room. "There are about nine floors to the divisions. The first five floors are the living quarters for the members of the Latios Division. The sixth floor is the hospital. The seventh floor, where we are now, is the market area, the eight floor houses the dojo, where you can go and train. And the ninth floor has the food court and the mission office, where Pokémon go to form teams and where we go get missions. It's quite a walk getting places, but it is good exercise. There _are _elevators, but those are mainly used for moving extremely heavy cargo. Anyway, on your left is the storage facility where you can store items. And on your right is the Kecleon Market."

Stride ushered them through the doorway on their right. Inside was a store that was packed with assorted goods. There were boxes that were overflowing with bizarre looking fruit, shelves packed with orbs, and tables covered in bands and other wearable items.

"Welcome!" shouted a pair of Kecleon, one green and the other purple. "How may we be of service."

"I'm just here giving these two newcomers a tour around the base," Stride replied.

The two Kecleon looked at the two smaller Pokémon and smiled.

"Well, well," the purple Kecleon said. "A Riolu. I haven't seen one of your kind in some time. And a Chimchar! You two will make a great team, I'm sure!"

"These two are the Kecleon brothers," Stride said. "They supply the division with wares and other goods."

"That's right!," the green Kecleon said. "If it's on the market..."

"We supply it!," finished the purple Kecleon, extending his hand to Furno. "For a fair price of course."

"And we always give a discount to our favorite customers!" the green Kecleon said, extending his hand to Zero.

"Nice to meet you," Furno and Zero said awkwardly, shaking the Kecleon brothers' hands.

"You too!" the Kecleon brothers responded happily before leaving to check on their wares.

"They seem...nice," Furno said. "But how come we have to pay for the stuff? Doesn't the division pay them for supporting its teams?"

"Sadly, no," Stride sighed. "The Kecleon brothers don't exactly work _for_ the division. We're more like... partners. They bring in stuff that is valuable to resistance teams and sell them, and in exchange, we give them a place to stay."

"I see," Furno said.

"And also, NEVER steal from them," Stride said in a deadly serious tone. "If you're low on money, they might make a deal with you and have you pay them back later. But if you value your lives, never _EVER_ steal from them. Don't ask me what they'll do because you do not want to know. Understood?"

"Got it," Furno gulped. "No stealing."

Zero turned and looked at the two chameleon Pokémon, wondering what they could do that was so dreadful that Stride was scared of them.

"Have a nice day and come again soon!" the two brothers said, waving at them.

The trio descended another flight of impossibly long stairs to the next floor. As they walked, Stride explained how they had Onix and Excadrill dig out these passageways and make them large enough so that the bigger Pokémon could go through without having to squeeze through.

"Okay you two," the Greninja said when they came to large door. "What you are about to see...is one of the division's most well kept secrets. You will be shocked and speechless, and you might possible faint from surprise."

"Well we haven't fainted yet and we've seen some amazing stuff already," Furno said. "So bring it on."

The Greninja grinned and lead them into a room that was filled with Pokémon that were using various exercise equipment. Zero stared wide eyed at a Machoke that was lifting two giant dumbbells as if they were nothing.

"This way," Stride said, leading them to another archway that was covered by a large green cloth. "Are you two ready?"

"Just show us already," Furno said impatiently.

Stride's grin grew as he stuck his head through the curtain. "Monty! We've got some new recruits! … Okay he's ready now. Get ready to be amazed."

Stride parted the curtain and led the two inside. The room itself was very large and could easily fit ten Steelix, even if they were balancing on the tips of their tails, and still have plenty of room. But what caught their attention was what was standing in the center of the room.

Right in the center of the room was a giant, white golem looking creature with seven dot-like eyes on its face. On the outer sides of its eyes were six gems, two red, two blue, and two gray. It had long arms, with a golden band on each wrists and shoulder, that ended with three fingers and two 'short' legs. Its body was covered in strange black lines that looked almost like runes and its feet and back were covered in moss.

"T-that's impossible," Furno stuttered as he and Zero looked at the giant Pokémon in fear and awe. "That's-that's-"

"GROAHH!" roared the golem as it step towards the duo, shaking the ground as it moved.

"REGIGIGAS!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

The Birth of a New Team

Zero and Furno stared up at the colossal Pokémon that towered over them in utter amazement. Seeing their reactions, Stride couldn't help but chuckle.

"There's no way," Furno said, still in shock. "The legends are just a myth!"

"You still say that with one of them standing right in front of you?" Stride asked.

Though he personally never heard of the legends, Zero new that they were beings of immense power. He found it hard to believe that the division had such a powerful ally.

"You expect us to believe that you guys have a _legend_ working for the division?" Furno asked, voicing Zero's unspoken thoughts. "There's just no way!"

"GROAH!" Regigigas roared, stomping its foot, causing the whole room to shake.

"No way," Furno said, trying to gain his balance from the small earthquake. "It's real. It's really Regigigas."

The Regigigas gave another roar before its whole body turned pink and seemed to melt into a puddle.

"AAH!" Furno cried out in shock.

The "puddle" then stretch straight up, becoming long and thin, and seemed to solidify. Zero and Furno watched in utter amazement as the blob began to change its shape and color. The next thing they knew, a Gyrados stood in front of them. The Gyrados roared once before reverting back to its amorphous state. The blob then shrunk in size and transformed into a perfect copy of Furno.

"What just happened?" Zero asked in confusion. "One second it was a giant golem like thing, then it looks like giant serpent, and now it looks like Furno! What is it?!"

"There's only one Pokémon that I know of that can transform like that," Furno said while taking a step towards his doppelganger. "You're a Ditto, aren't you?"

The other Chimchar smiled and clapped its hands. "You are correct young Chimchar," the fake Chimchar said. "I am indeed a Ditto."

"Zero, Furno, I'd like you to meet our combat instructor, Monty," Stride introduced. "This here is his dojo. He uses his various forms to help train our teams for battle."

Furno blinked. "B-but how does he transform like that?" Furno asked. "I thought Ditto had to see the Pokémon it was turning into."

"Normally that's true," Stride said. "But Monty is a special case. You see he... you know what? I'll let him explain."

"Thank you Stride," Furno's doppelganger said. "Like you said young Chimchar, normally Ditto can only transform into a Pokémon that is in front of them at the time and afterward reverts back to a Ditto and loses the ability to transform into that Pokémon unless it runs into another one. Normally this transformation lasts for about an hour, but I found a way around that. I trained myself everyday for the past five years to remember the transformation. Now I am able to transform into any Pokémon that I've seen. Though gaining this skill came with a drawback."

"Drawback?" Furno asked.

"Yes," Monty answered, transforming into a Sigilyph. "Normally when a Ditto transforms, it gains the moves of the Pokémon that it transforms into. But with me, I have to train each of my transformations individually. Meaning, that though I am able to transform into any Pokémon that I have seen, I won't be nearly as skilled as a Pokémon that has been that Pokémon for its whole life."

_Unless said Pok__é__mon has only been a Pok__é__mon for only a couple of days_, Zero thought.

"But wait," Furno said. "That doesn't explain how you are able to transform into Regigigas. For you to be able to transform into a legend means that-" Furno gazed at Monty in amazement. "Monty...have you seen a legend?!"

"I wish," Monty said, transforming yet again, this time into an Arbok. "I have not seen a legend. I am able to transform into Regigigas because have seen it, though not in the way you might think."

"What do you mean by that?" Furno asked.

"You see, I have seen Regigigas, but not face-to-face," Monty explained. "I've seen pictures of it. And because I've only seen pictures, I have no way of knowing what kinds of moves the legends can learn, meaning those forms are basically useless in battle. Though I still like transforming into them."

"There are pictures of the legends?" Furno became starry eyed. "That means the legends are real!"

"Well there's still no proof of that," Monty said. "The pictures I was referring to are paintings portraying what the legends were believed to look like."

"Oh," Furno said, slightly crestfallen. He then perked up. "But if there are paintings of them, that means that someone would have had to see them!"

"You could be right," Monty said, changing into a Delphox and shrugging his shoulders. "There is no way to prove their existence, but there is also no way to disprove their existence either."

Monty than turned into a Machamp and flexed its muscles.

"Anyway, in return for being allowed to stay here at the division and seeing all the various types of Pokémon that reside here, I use my abilities to help train rookies and skilled Pokémon alike in the fine arts of battle," Monty said. "I expect to see you two here often so that we can work on your techniques. Without proper training, you will not last very long in this world."

Zero found it strange how every time Monty transformed his voice would change. The thought of having to fight Monty and his transformations not only scared Zero a little, but also excited him. He didn't know why, but the thought of fighting foes that were stronger than him excited him.

"After all," Monty said. "I am not the only Pokémon that has transformations to undergo. You both will evolve someday, and the more battle experience you gain, the sooner that day will come!"

Monty wasted no time in transforming again. His whole body grew taller and became slightly slimmer than it had when he transformed into the Machamp. His head grew a snout and two big ears sprouted out from the top of its head. Four teardrop shaped appendages formed out the back of his head as well as three spikes, two on his hands/paws and one on its chest. When the Ditto's transformation was complete, a full grown Lucario stood in front of them.

"This, my young Riolu, is what you will become: the strong and proud Lucario!" the newly formed Lucario bellowed .

_Wow!_ Zero thought in amazement. _I'm gonna turn into that?! Awesome! Then again, I might turn back into a human before then...but still! _

"Lucario," Monty continued. "are respected by all for their strength, agility, devotion, and their will of steel. Being a fighting and steel type, Lucario are not only strong, but also very agile and durable. They are also desired teammates due to the fact that they are extremely loyal to those it sees as friends. Train hard little Riolu, and one day, you too will be a Lucario and be able to do this."

Monty brought his paws together and formed a glowing sphere in between them. He then fired the glowing sphere at a stalagmite. Upon impact the sphere exploded, destroying the stalagmite, scattering pieces of rubble everywhere.

_Cool! _Zero thought, bouncing on his feet. Unbeknownst to him, his tail was wagging furiously. _I can really learn how to do that? Awesome! I'm gonna train real hard!_

Monty chuckled at Zero's enthusiasm. "Judging by your tail, I see that your impressed."

Zero gave him a confused look before turning and seeing his tail wagging. Seeing his tail wagging, Zero quickly grabbed it and gave him a sheepish smile which caused Monty, Stride, and Furno to laugh.

"And you young Chimchar," Monty said. "You too have a glorious future in front of you!"

He then began to transform again. The ears, spikes, and teardrop shaped appendages all shot back into Monty's body. His tail became longer and more flexible. His paws, on his hands and feet, split into fingers and toes. A fire then sprouted from the top of his head.

When the transformation ended, Monty's new form, an Infernape, stood in front of them.

"This being before you is known as an Infernape," Monty said. "Infernape are powerful Pokémon that are revered for their amazing strength and fire manipulation."

To prove his point Monty launched himself at a nearby stalagmite and punched it, shattering it into multiple pieces. He then unleashed a torrent of fire from his mouth.

"Wow," Furno exclaimed, stars dancing in his eyes.

"With hard work and dedication, you can become what you see before you today," Monty said.

"Cool!" Furno exclaimed. "I can't wait to start training!"

"Well you'll have to wait until tomorrow," Monty said. "I'm afraid that I have other students that I must train today."

"That's alright," Stride said. "I need to finish showing these two around anyway. It was nice seeing you Monty."

"Likewise Stride," Monty said. "I'll see you two tomorrow."

Zero and Furno said their goodbyes to the shape shifting Pokémon and followed Stride out the dojo.

As the trio made there way down another staircase, going even deeper into the earth. As they continued, Zero noticed that there weren't as many Pokémon around as there were earlier.

"The majority of the Pokémon are out on missions," Stride said as if reading Zero's mind. "Just like you two will be tomorrow."

"So soon?" Furno asked. "But we haven't had any training."

"I've always thought that the best training came from being out in the field," Stride said.

Furno looked like he wanted to say more, but stopped himself, choosing to trust Stride's judgment. It was then that they were all hit by a heavenly aroma.

"Oh! Do smell that Zero?" Furno asked, slightly salivating. "We must be near where they make the food!" Furno's stomach then growls. "Man, I'm so hungry! I haven't eaten anything all day!"

_That food smells delicious,_ Zero thought. _It doesn't smell_ _like any food I've ever had though. Then again, I can't remember any other food..._

"Floor nine," Stride said as the trio came upon a set of double doors. "The mess hall. Also, unlike the food items at Kecleon Market, all the food here is complementary."

"You mean we can eat here for _free_?!" Furno asked.

"Yep," Stride answered. "If your hungry, we can always stop an get something."

"I don't know about Zero, but I'm starving," Furno said.

"Any objections?" Stride asked Zero.

Before Zero could respond, his stomach gave a loud growl, causing him to adopt an embarrassed look on his face.

"I'll take that as a no," Stride chuckled as he led the duo into the mess hall.

The mess hall was a fairly big room that had multiple tables stationed around the room and a large window that separated the kitchen from the mess hall. Several of the tables had Pokémon sitting around it, quietly enjoying their food

Stride led them to a large window. Behind the window, there were multiple Pokémon bustling around, cooking various dishes. There were several Scyther that were using there blade arms to cut up multiple, colorful, round objects and tossing them into pots. A couple Marowack could be seen using sticks, instead of bones, to stir pots of food. A single Munchlax walked around sampling the various dishes and critiquing them.

"Hi!" said a Mawile on the other side of the window as she pushed three trays across the counter in front of them. "Enjoy! Have a nice day!"

The trio said there thanks and made their way to an empty table.

"And if you're still hungry, you can go back for seconds, or thirds..." Stride explained as they sat down.

Unable to contain himself, Furno practically dove into his food, shoving it into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in weeks. While he was hungry, Zero looked at the food on his plate with a critical eye. The food consisted of large, oddly shaped, chunks of...something. It also looked very colorful, as if it were some kind of candy.

"It's broiled fruit salad," Stride said, eating his food, thought no as fast as Furno. "Try it. You might like it."

Zero picked up one of the fruit chunks on his plate and gave it a tentative sniff. It smelled of some kind of spice on it that he couldn't place. Shrugging, Zero put the chunk in his mouth and chewed it slowly. His eyes widened as a burst of flavor entered his mouth as soon as he bit into the fruit. It was sweet, tangy, and warm when it went down his throat and to his stomach. In the blink of an eye, Zero was shoveling the food into his mouth, keeping pace with Furno.

"I take it you like it?" Stride chuckled seeing the Riolu devouring the fruit.

Zero could only nod in response as he continued to inhale the food in front of him.

After clearing their plates, and going back for seconds, the three relaxed as they let their food settle.

"That was delicious," Furno said happily, patting his stomach. "But I don't understand why the mess hall is on the bottom floor."

"That's because, when they made the division, they made the floors in order of importance," Stride explained. "The top five floors, that act as the housing levels for the resistance, are closer to the surface so that, encase of an emergency, the members of the resistance can escape or address the threat. The next floor is the hospital so Pokémon injured on a mission can get there quickly. The storage facility and the Kecleon Market are next so that Pokémon can get items relatively quickly. And, between the dojo and the mess hall, it was determined that the dojo should be on the next floor. The mission office is also on this floor because the members of the resistance wanted to be able to get their missions after they ate. Plus it's good exercise."

"So we're going to have to walk down _all_ those stairs _every _day?" Furno asked incredulously.

"Well, some of the higher up teams can have food sent to their rooms, but since you're just starting out, that's not an option for you two," Stride said.

"Speaking of which," Zero said. "Where are we going to be staying?"

"For the time being, you two will be staying with us," Stride said. "I'll need you two close by if I'm going to train you."

"You're going to train us?" Furno asked, excited over the prospect of being trained by such a strong Pokémon. His expression then fell as he thought of something. "Does Seth know?"

"No," Stride said nonchalantly. "But, there's not much he can do seeing as _I_ am the leader of the team."

"Cool," Furno said, his good mood returning.

"Now let's get you two signed up," Stride said.

After leaving the mess hall, Stride led the duo down a long hallway that went further from the stairs leading back up. At last they reached their destination: it was an office. There was a fairly large desk with a bell on it, that was covered with paper, rows of shelves, that were filled with even more paper, and a very large bulletin board, that was covered in even more paper. Looking behind the desk, Zero could see even more shelves and a closed door.

Stride walked up to the desk and rang the bell. A few seconds later, the door in the back opened and an elderly female Xatu walked out.

"Ah, Stride. Good afternoon," the Xatu said politely. "What can I do for you today?"

"Good afternoon to you too Xion," Stride answered. "I'm here to register a new team."

"A new team you say?" the Xatu known as Xion said. "You're leaving Team Surge? That ol' dog finally made you snap aye?"

"No, no, no," Stride said with a slight smile. "Not for me. For these two."

Xion looked over her desk and where she just barely caught a glimpse at the Riolu and Chimchar standing there, both looking slightly nervous. She continued to stare at them as if she was looking at a particularly interesting specimen from a lab, which made Zero even more nervous. She stared at them for what seemed like an eternity until she finally blinked and turned to Stride.

"I can see great potential in these two," Xion said with a smile, or what Zero assumed was a smile. She then turned back to Zero and Furno. "I'll get you two registered quickly. Now, what are your names? And which one of you will be the leader?"

"I'm Furno, and this is Zero. He'll be the leader," Furno answered.

"Say what now?" Zero asked in shock.

"Okay," Xion said, ignoring Zero's outburst and using psychic on a pen so that she could right down their information. "And what will be your team name?"

"Ah! I completely forgot that we needed a team name!" Furno exclaimed. "What do you think our name should be Zero?"

_Way to put me on the spot!_ Zero thought. _Okay, think. Team name, team name. Um...maybe Team Fire Fist? No. Team Freedom? No. Ugh! I can't think of anything!_

As Zero continued to try to think of a name, he suddenly remembered the sunrise that he witnessed with Furno yesterday. He remembered the feeling of accomplishment that he felt when he and Furno cleared that dungeon and how excited they were. Zero smiled as a name popped into his head.

"Dawn Breaker," Zero said confidently. "We'll be Team Dawn Breaker."

"Team Dawn Breaker," Furno said, testing out how it sounded. "I like it!"

"Okay then," Xion said, writing down their team name. "From this day forth your team shall be known as Team Dawn Breaker." She then used psychic and brought out two objects and levitated them in front of the duo. "These are your resistance badges. They symbolize your affiliation with the division."

The badges were white circles with blue wings on the side that slanted downward (like a Latios' wing) and a dull gray stone in the middle.

Furno and Zero reached out and took the two floating badges, and as soon as the touched the badges, the stone glowed bright blue. Then as quickly as the glowing started, it ended, leaving the stones in the center of the badges blue.

"What just happened?" Furno asked in confusion.

"Your badges activated," Xion explained. "You see, the stone in the center of your badges is a very unique one. When touched, it imprints upon your aura. This means that the stone will only be blue when you, and only you, are holding it. This shows the ghost Pokémon that surround the base that you are really you and not one of the Emperor's soldiers in disguise."

"That's so cool," Furno said, gazing at his badge.

"With those badges, you now represent the division," Stride said. "I hope you make us proud."

"We won't let you down!" Furno said confidently. He then held out his fist to Zero. "Let's do our best Zero!"

Zero gave him a curious look, not understanding what Furno was trying to do.

"Your supposed to bump your fist against mine," Furno said with a sweat-drop.

"Oh," Zero said sheepishly as he bumped fists with Furno.

"Today marks the birth of our team," Furno said with a large smile. "Let's do our best and never give in!"

"Right!" Zero said with an equally large smile.

Stride couldn't help but chuckle at the antics of the two before gaining a solemn expression. _I have a feeling that these two will go through many hardships,_ Stride thought. He then grinned lightly._ But I know that they will overcome those hardships. Those two will go far, I'm sure of it._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

First Mission

"Come on you two! Up and at 'em!"

These were the words that started off Zero's and Furno's day. Zero grumbled as he rolled over onto his back, annoyed at being awoken. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and was greeted by the smiling face of Stride.

"This is it," Stride said cheerfully. "Ready for your big day?"

"Yes?" Zero answered uncertainly.

"Ugh," Furno grumbled while getting up as well. "How long were we asleep for?"

"About seven hours," Stride answered. "I decided to let you two sleep in. We usually get up at the crack of dawn."

"Joy," Zero mumbled under his breath as he cracked his neck.

"Pay attention to the route we're about to take," Stride advised. "You'll have to take this route every time you go out on a mission. For now, you can rely on me for directions, but I will not always be with you, so pay attention. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir!" Furno said, waking up fully. "Our first mission. I'm so excited! Let's do our best Zero!"

"Hey Stride?" Furno addressed the elder Pokémon that was leading them down the hall.

"Hmm?" Stride responded.

"Umm... don't we need to prepare or something?" Furno asked.

"Rule number one," Stride told them. "Prepare for your missions the night before that way you'll be able to leave first thing in the morning. To properly prepare your pack you must take into account where you are going, what the weather will be like, and what Pokémon are in that location."

Near the front door of Team Surge's barracks, Stride took a small, dark green pack that was hanging off the wall and tossed it to Zero who caught it in surprise. The pack was not very heavy, but could become a burden if carried for a long period of time.

"Here you go," Stride said. "This is our pack of supplies that I prepared last night. Since you are a fighting type, who are generally physically stronger than most Pokémon, you get to carry the pack."

_Lucky me,_ Zero thought as he shouldered the pack.

"Well let's go," Stride said as he opened the door and lead the duo out into the base.

Upon entering the first main chamber of the third floor, Furno and Zero found that it was a madhouse. Pokémon scrambled to prepare for the coming day, filling the tunnels and chambers with a dull roar. A large Zangoose rushed past Zero, cutting him off and almost causing him to fall backward.

"You see? This is why I say to prepare the night prior," Stride said with a grin. "Otherwise, you'll be dealing with this every morning. If you think this is bad you should see the market or the mess hall."

"You mean we're not getting breakfast?" Zero asked timidly, as if afraid of the answer.

"I packed some food in their," Stride said while gesturing to the pack. "We can eat on the road..."

No sooner than Stride had said where the food was, Zero felt something pull the pack off his bag. Zero turned and saw Furno rummaging through the pack for the food. When he saw Zero and Stride staring at him he chuckled sheepishly.

"What? I'm hungry," Furno said gaining sweat-drops from both Zero and Stride.

"Hey, Stride! Morning" a young Quilladin that seemed to appear out of nowhere. "I heard you were training a couple of rookies. How's that going for ya'?"

"Morning to you too Quill," Stride said cheerfully. "It's going well actually. These two are my students if you want to meet them. I'm taking them on their first mission today."

"Wow, already? I bet you two are excited!" Quill said, smiling at Zero and Furno. "My name's Quill! Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Zero," Zero said nervously, feeling a little awkward about talking to this happy-go-lucky Pokémon. He then gestured to Furno who was still going through the pack. "The one rummaging through the pack is Furno. It's nice to meet you too."

"Zero?" the Quilladin questioned. "That's a weird name, but who am I to judge? Well I'll let you get to your mission. I wish you two good luck. I'm sure you two will learn a lot."

"Thank you," Furno said not really paying attention. "We'll do our best!"

"I'm sure you will," Quill said, walking off. "With a name like Team Dawn Breaker you can't fail."

"How'd he already know our team name?" Zero asked curiously.

"Whenever a new team is formed they announce it on the bulletins," Stride said. "Well, shall we."

"Apple," Furno said, holding out an apple to Zero while eating another one.

Stride and Zero could only stare at Furno in disbelief.

"What?" Furno asked. "I said I was hungry."

Moments later the trio made their way to the final tunnel. At the top of the tunnel was a sign with a picture of a Haunter smiling at them. Zero reasoned this marker signified the exit of the base. He remembered that Stride had told them that when one exists and enters the base ghost a bunch of ghost types are on standby to wipe the memories of the routes to the base so that, if captured, they will not be able to divulge information.

"You know," Furno said. "I had no idea that this many Pokémon opposed the Emperor. I thought that everyone did what the Emperor said or... you know... paid the price. If I had known that this many people were against the Emperor I wouldn't have been hesitant to join."

"Unfortunately, it's better that the resistance remains unknown," Stride said. "Though the Emperor knows that there are resistance cells, he is unaware that there are full on divisions. That's why we send Pokémon out as teams. Seeing a few Pokémon going out and causing problems for the Emperor can pass as guerrilla groups, but too many and the Emperor would crush us with sheer strength."

"The Emperor isn't the only one with _sheer_ strength," a voice said from beside Zero.

Zero turned and saw another team walking next to them. The team consisted of a Samurott, a Haxorus, and a Pangoro. The Samurott walked in front of the group like the leader and was eyeing Zero in amusement, making Zero feel slightly uncomfortable.

"So, Stride, these are the kids that you've taken under your wing" the Samurott with a very proud voice. "I didn't know that one of them was a Riolu. A lucky find."

"Yes, these are the two that I'm training," Stride said, noticing the look that the Samurott was giving Zero. "The Riolu is Zero and the Chimchar is Furno."

"That's quite a peculiar name," the Samurott said, looking at the Riolu. "You are lucky. Stride and his team are one of the best. You will learn a lot from him."

Not knowing how to respond Zero only nodded numbly.

"He doesn't talk much, does he?" the Samurott asked Stride.

"He's just shy," Stride said.

"Anyway," the Samurott continued. "My name is Razor. I lead Team Torrent. My team only excepts the best o the best. Because of this, we like to think of ourselves on the level of Team Surge."

"They are a respectable team," Stride agreed. "They are one of the division's best."

"Like you guys?" Furno asked Stride.

"Well our teams are known for our different strengths," Stride said. "Razor and his team are known for their unrivaled strength in battle."

"And Stride's team is known for their tactics and resourcefulness," Razor said. "I remember that they single-handedly defeated a huge faction of the Emperor's forces by trapping them in a ravine and taking them out one by one."

_Wow. I knew that Team Surge was good, but I didn't know they were that good,_ Zero thought. _But by the sound of things, Team Torrent is also a highly respected team. I wonder if Stride sees them as rivals._

"Well I look forward to working with you both," Razor said. He then gave Zero one last look, that gave Zero chills down his spine. "I expect great things from you."

With that, the two groups parted ways and headed two their respective destinations

**Scared Fields**

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Furno commented as he seemingly appeared in the Scared Fields. "I still can't get over the fact that we just lost our memories."

"As I said before, it's just a precaution that our division takes," Stride said. "So, what did you think of Team Torrent?"

"They seem alright," Furno said. "They're obviously a strong team to be considered at your team's level."

"Yes, they are rather strong," Stride agreed. "But, they tend to rely on brute strength than tactics. While it has been effective, it can only take them so far. Since as long as I can remember, their team has viewed themselves as our equals and are constantly trying to one up us. It becomes rather tiresome after awhile."

"Their leader, Razor, kept looking at me," Zero said. "It made me feel uneasy."

"Don't worry," Stride said. "He was just scouting you."

"Scouting me?" Zero asked.

"Yeah. Like I said, Team Torrent focuses mainly on power and brute strength," Stride explained. "Lucario are known to be incredibly strong and the fact that there's is now a young Riolu in need f training he sees it as an opportunity to add a new member in his ranks."

"So he was viewing Zero as a potential addition to his team?" Furno asked, gaining a nod from Stride. "But he's already a member of Team Dawn Breaker!"

"It hardly matters to Razor," Stride said. "To him, as long as you're strong, you're a target for him. He'll probably try to convince you to join his team when you become stronger."

"I don't want to join his team. I'm already teamed up with Furno," Zero said, causing Furno to smile appreciatively. "Plus he gave me a weird kind of vibe. It felt almost... hungry."

"A weird vibe? You might have been sensing his emotions," Stride said gaining confused looks from the two junior resistance members. "Right, you don't have any memories. You see Riolu have the ability to sense the emotions of others, which makes lying to one very difficult."

"So I was sensing Razor's emotions," Zero reasoned. "But why did he feel like that."

"Well Razor is a fairly power hungry individual. He seeks those that are strong and tries to get them to join his team. He actually tried to recruit me at one point, but I declined. He's also been know to occasionally take... drastic measures to acquire new members. "

"Well if he wants Zero, he'll have to go through me," Furno said with determination. "He's the leader of Team Dawn Breaker and my friend and I won't let him have Zero!"

Zero gave Furno a grateful smile which Furno returned. Stride looked at the duo and smiled at them. Though they had only recently met, it was clear that they were already good friends. Especially considering that Furno seemed to be the only one able to get Zero to say more than a few words. He was obviously a very timid Pokémon on top of that he lost his memory, which most likely did not help with his confidence. He figured that he was more comfortable around Furno since he _was_ the first one that he met. It was also clear that Zero was very loyal to Furno, despite there brief meeting, which led him to believe that Zero, like most Riolu, was very loyal to those he deemed as a friend. He probably did not trust Stride fully, especially considering he had kicked him and cut him with a water shuriken.

"Hey, Stride," Furno said, snapping the Greninja out of his musings. "Where is this mission anyway?"

"Oh, right. I never told you," Stride said. "We're heading to Great Marsh to retrieve an item."

"What kind of Pokémon are there?" Furno questioned.

"There are mainly ground and water types there as well as the occasional bug and grass type," Stride answered, looking at Furno and Zero in order to gauge their reaction.

Furno visibly paled at the prospect of facing Pokémon that he had a weakness to. He then schooled his emotions and gave Stride a look of confidence.

Zero, however, had a look of nervousness on his face. Stride chalked this up as him not fighting before, he was confident that he could break Zero of this.

"We should arrive in about forty five minutes, so be prepared," Stride said.

**Great Marsh S1**

The trees around the marsh were all twisted and gnarled giving the area a sinister feel to it. All over the area were pools of water of varying sizes and depths. Animalistic sounds echoes throughout the marsh, adding to the sinister feel.

Zero knew that he should not be scared. He had a friend that was willing to fight for him and an experienced warrior with him, but despite all that, he was scared. He had never been in an actual fight, sure he had fought that Geodude in Twisted Cave, but purely on instinct and he knew that he could not rely on instinct each time he fought.

As if sensing his nervousness, Furno placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Zero turned and gave him a grateful look before taking a deep breath and calmed himself.

"Now focus both of you," Stride said seriously. "We need to find a path that leads to the stairs so we can move on to the next floor. One wrong move and we could end up in a dead end or a trap."

Upon Stride's insistence, Zero led the group through the path carefully looking at everything around them in case a wild Pokémon jumped out at them.

"Now remember," Stride said as they continued to walk. "You will get hungrier than normal. That's why it is important that you look for anything edible while traversing in a dungeon."

"Zero and I know that all to well," Furno grumbled. "We almost starved in Twisted Cave."

"Good, then I don't have to explain the consequences of running out of food. Just make sure that if you do find food in a dungeon that it's not too grimy. If the food is too grimy you could become sick from eating it."

Furno and Zero nodded in agreement and pressed forward, looking around carefully for any food or any wild Pokémon.

**Great Marsh S2**

The sun peaked threw the gnarled trees of the marsh as the three Pokémon continued to travel.

Through there entire trek Stride had not said a thing, he would just follow Zero's direction without complaint. It started to unnerve Zero when he constantly felt Stride's burning gaze on the back of his head. He felt like he was in a spotlight; his every move being watched and judged by the elder Pokémon.

They continued to walk, moving alongside a rather large body of murky water when bubbles began to appear on the surface. Noticing the bubbles, Furno alerted the duo just as a pink slug looking Pokémon jumped out and charged them, forcing them to jump away.

Upon taking a closer look at the attacking Pokémon, Zero saw that it was a Shellos.

"That's a Shellos," Stride said. "They are relatively weak Pokémon and shouldn't pose much of a threat to you two."

The Shellos regarded Zero with feral eyes before giving off a weird gurgling growl and charging Zero.

Seeing the attack, Zero froze. He was still not used to the idea of fighting and seeing the charging Shellos scared him. Fortunately for Zero, Furno intercepted the Shellos and scratched it across the face.

The Shellos gave a shriek of pain before it reared up its head and gave another gurgling growl. It then jumped a foot off the ground and when it came back down two streams of mud shot out of the ground and towards Furno.

Furno yelped in shock and dived out of the way. He then shot out a few embers at the Shellos, causing it to give another shriek. Not giving the Shellos a chance to recover, Furno ran to it and scratched it repeatedly. The Shellos gave another gurgle before fainting.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," Furno said as he tried to regain his breath.

No sooner had he said this, more bubbles appeared in the water and four more Shellos jumped out, all glaring at Furno.

"Me and my big mouth," Furno said as he dodged at sphere of water sent by one of the sea-slug Pokémon.

Furno was put on the defensive as the Shellos shot streams of brown mud and orbs of water at him. Eventually one of the orbs of water was able to hit Furno, eliciting a cry of pain from the fire monkey. Having enough of this "run and dodge" game, Furno ran at the attacking Pokémon, weaving through their attacks, and striking the closest.

The Shellos responded by charging Furno at once, trying to ram him. Furno responded by leaping in the air and unleashing a flurry of embers at them. The Shellos shrieked as their skin was burned. The Shellos all turned towards Furno and glared at him, before each one shot out a water pulse at him.

Furno managed to dodge three of the five orbs of water, but the last two nailed him straight in the chest. Furno cried out in pain and hit the ground hard.

"Furno!" Zero shouted, but remained where he was.

Zero was relieved when Furno got to his feet, even though he looked tired. Furno then shot out another wave of embers at the Shellos then ran at them and repeatedly scratched at them.

"Why aren't you helping?" Stride asked from behind Zero.

"I... I don't know," Zero said looking down.

"So you're just going to watch as he fights five wild Pokémon that have a typing advantage over him?" Stride questioned. "I thought you were willing to fight for him."

"But I don't know how to fight," Zero said.

"That didn't stop you from charging me when you thought I worked for the Emperor," Stride countered.

Zero said nothing and watched as Furno continued to fight the Shellos. He managed to knock out two of them, but he was clearly exhausted. He had taken several mud slap and water pulse attacks and they were clearly taking their toll on the young Chimchar.

"He needs you Zero," Stride said. "Are you just going to sit by and watch?"

"But can't you-"

"I'm only here as an observer," Stride interrupted. "I will not get involved."

"But I don't know how to fight."

"Every Pokémon is born knowing how to fight. You are stronger than you know. Listen to your instincts and do what they tell you."

"I... I."

"Are you really going to just sit by and watch as your friend, the one who found you and put his faith in you, dies?!" Stride roared, shocking Zero. "Where's the Riolu that was willing to attack me when he thought that I was going to hurt Furno?!"

_He's right,_ Zero thought as he saw Furno get hit again. _I can't just sit by and do nothing! Furno put his trust in me and I refuse to let him down!_

With that, Zero shrugged off the pack and ran towards Furno while Stride watched him go, a small smile gracing his face.

Furno gave a grunt of pain as he hit the ground again. The Shellos gurgled, thinking that they had one, and approached Furno to finish him off, but before they could, a blue blur rammed into the closest one, sending it reeling back. Furno's eyes widened when he saw that Zero was standing in front protectively.

"Zero?"

"Just leave them to me Furno," Zero said confidently. "You've done enough, let me handle this."

Furno wanted to argue, but he saw the determined look in Zero's eyes and relented.

"Fine, just be careful Zero," Furno said before he made his way over to Stride.

Zero nodded to him and turned back to the Shellos and glared at them. The Shellos that Zero had hit got up and gave and angry gurgle and charged Zero.

Zero saw the approaching Shellos and for a split second he froze. He then felt the same energy that he felt when the Geodude attacked and when he when he was about to attack Stride. He steeled his resolve and ran at the duo Shellos.

The charging Shellos shot a water pulse at Zero, only for Zero to dodge it and punch the Shellos in the face. The Shellos gave a cry of pain, but before it could recover, Zero was already in front of it. Zero then lashed out with a flurry of punches and kicks. The Shellos had no time to defend itself and fell into unconsciousness.

The second Shellos, enraged over the defeat of the other, shot two streams of mud at Zero. Having no time to dodge, Zero instinctively crossed his arms in front of himself, lessening the damage taken. He then ran at the Shellos and tried to kick it, only for the Shellos to jump over his leg and shoot a water pulse at him.

Zero rolled away from the attack and kicked off the ground and punched the Shellos in the face, sending it crashing to the ground. Before the Shellos could get up, Zero was at its side and delivered a strong kick to the Shellos and sent it into the water.

With all the threats gone Zero realized what he had just done and was amazed at the strength that he had.

_So this is the strength of a Riolu_, Zero thought, gazing at his paws in awe.

"Way to go Zero!" Furno shouted, almost completely healed thanks to an oran berry.

Zero smiled bashfully and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. He was about to make his way over to Furno and Stride when he heard the sound of bubbles coming from the pond.

_Seriously?_ Zero thought to himself. _How many of these things are there?!_

Zero's whole body tensed as he waited for the Pokémon to surface, but was surprised when a significantly larger Pokémon jumped out of the water. He then was forced to dive to the side when the Pokémon attempted to land on him.

When Zero got to his feet he, saw that the offending Pokémon was a pink Gastrodon. The Gastrodon looked around and saw the downed Shellos. It then turned to Zero, its eyes full of hate, and gave a loud gurgled roar before charging at Zero.

_Crap_, Zero thought as he prepared himself for the ensuing fight.


End file.
